Double ended sailboat



A. J. M. LAURENT DOUBLE ENDED SAILBOAT March 16, 19 65 Filed A ril 18, 1963 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I9 F I 1.

Q INVENTOR.

\ ANDRE J. M. LAURENT A TTOENE Y5 March 1965 A. J. M. LAURENT 3,173,395

DOUBLE ENDED SAILBOAT Filed April 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 75 ANDRE J. M. LAURENT /64% (d/fi 65 F I E"- ATTORNEY A. J. M. LAURENT DOUBLE ENDED SAILBOAT March 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 18, 1963 A TTORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,173,395 DOUBLE ENDED SAILBGAT Andre J. M. Laurent, Price Ranch, Los Alamos, Calif. Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,934 4 Claims. (Cl. 11439) This invention relates to a sail boat and more particularly relates to a double-ended sail boat which can be sailed in either direction. The invention also relates to an improved said boat structure having a unique type of rudder assembly, and also to a sail boat having twin jibs which can be used alternately.

In accordance with the present invention, a simplified form of double-ended boat is provided wherein it is not necessary to bring the boat around upon the completion of one tack and the start of the next, but wherein the position of the sail is merely shifted slightly and the boat restarted almost immediately in the opposite direction. In its simplest form, this can take the form of a boat having a single sail, but in accordance with the preferred embodiment, such a boat is provided having improved stability in sailing wherein two jib sails are provided, which sails are used alternately in opposite directions. Further, means are provided whereby as one jib is furled, the other is automatically unfurled, so that a minimum amount of time is consumed in changing tack.

The invention also involves an improved rudder structure wherein the rudders are pivoted at either end of the vessel and trail backwardly in the water due to the movement of the boat through the water, so that the rudders automatically trail behind the vessel regardless of which direction the vessel is going. The rudders also tend to act as a keel to keep the vessel on course. Further, as the vessel goes faster, less of the rudder is under water, producing a condition of minimum drag.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, means are provided for shifting the yard arm along the mast so that the stay of the leading edge of the sail may be kept taut for proper tackle.

Other features of the invention will be brought out in the specification which follows.

In the drawings forming a part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a simplified form of boat embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan View on a reduced scale showing the path of maneuver of such a boat, the boat being shown 4 in several positions.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plain view on the line 66 of'FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation of the boat shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a view of a sail suitable for use with the present invention, showing an alternate form of yard arm. FIGURE 9 is a view of an alternate form of rudder.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a boa-t, generally designated 9, with an end 11 and an end 13, both ends being substantially identical and preferably in the form of a sharpened prow so that the boat can sail in either direction. At about the center of the boat, a mast 15 is provided, the mast sloping slightly from the centerline of the boat to the leeward. The mast is provided with shrouds 17 and 19 for stability, and a triangular sail 21 is attached to the mast at its peak by halyard 22 passing over sheave 23 at the top of the mast, the halyard being belayed to cleat 24. The bottom of the ice sail 21 is attached to the yard arm 25, the center of yard arm 25 being fastened to collar 27 fitting over the mast. The collar 27 is fairly loose fitting, so that the yard arm 25 cannot only revolve around the mast, but also can be given a slight tilting movement so that either end of the yard arm can be elevated or depressed. A fixed collar 29 is provided on the mast to prevent the yard arm from working up the mast so the sail fills out. Stays 31 and 33 are attached to opposite ends of yard arm 25 and pass over the sheaves 35 and 37, respectively, to the cleats 39 and 41, so that either end of the boom can be raised with respect to the other. Naturally, since the collar 29 prevents the yard arm from rising, it will tilt as pressure is put on one or the other of the stays. On both ends of the boom are sheets, respectively designated 43 and 45. In the embodiment shown, the boat is also provided with an outrigger 47 located on the windward side. However, as will be later apparent, the outrigger can be on either side or can be eliminated, or the boat can be made in the form of a catamaran.

Rudders are provided at each end of the craft. The rudders themselves are blade-like members 49 which are free to pivot on a rudder shaft 51 which in turn is supported by a rudder post 53. Since the rudders are free to pivot on' the shaft 51, it is apparent that the motion of the boat through the water will cause the rudders to trail behind the craft. By turning the rudder post 53, the craft can be maneuvered. The rudder assembly at the opposite end of the boat is exactly the same, so it will not be described in detail. Needless to say, means are provided for operating the two rudder posts in unison. Since FIG- URE 1 is largely diagrammatic, this means has not been shown, but will be described in detail in connection with FIGURE 3 and following.

Referring now to both FIGURES 1 and 2, the method of maneuvering the boat will be described. When the boat is on the course 55, the stay 31 is tightened so that the leading edge of the sail will bemaintained taut. At the same time, the sheet 45 is released since on this course it is not operative. The boat would then be controlled by means of the sheet 43 as well as the rudder to sail the course shown at 55. When the boat reaches the point designated 57, instead of coming about, the position of the sail is reversed, as is shown by the arrows, and now the stay 33 of the sail 21 is kept taut and the movement of the boat is controlled by means of the sheet 45. Thus, the boat sails down the course 59 until it comes to the point 61, whereupon it is again desired to change position, at which time the position of the sail is again reversed as is shown by the arrows at 61 to the same position as was assumed on the course 55. The boat is now enabled to sail down the course 63.

As was earlier mentioned, the mast 15 is tilted somewhat to the leeward. This is a safety precaution and prevents the boat from overturning in strong gusts of wind. Since the mast is already tilted, the sail tends to spill its Wind if the boat tilts much to the leeward, releasing the pressure on the sail and allowing the boat to return to the upright position.

In FIGURES 3-7, a preferred embodiment of the boat is shown in which jibs are employed for greater stability. This boat is shown built in the form of a catamaran, which is a preferred manner of building it, although it could be built as a single hulled vessel with or without an outrigger. In this embodiment of the invention, twin hulls 65 and 67 are employed, held in spaced relationship by the cross members 69 and 71. The cross members s9 and 71 are held to the hulls by means of clamping members 73 and 75 and these may be made adjustable in such a manner that the width of the vessel can be varied and particularly so that the twin hulls can be brought closer together. The clamping members permit a certain degree of flexibility in the structure. Support men'ibers 59 and 71 have attached thereto a cockpit structure 77 which also has thereon a step 79 for mast 81. The mast S1 is tilted to the leeward as is best shown in FIGURE 4. A sail S3 is provided, held from its peak by halyard passing over sheave $7, the halyard being delayed to cleat 89. The two edges of the sail have stays 91 and 93 passing over sheaves 95 and 9'7 and belayed respectively to the cleats and 101. A double yard arm is used at the bottom of the sail, the yard arm being composed of a first piece 103 and a second piece 105 which pass on opposite sides of the mast. The foot of the sail is attached to the yard arm 103 and the two pieces constituting the yard arm are attached together at both ends. Thus, the pieces 103 and 105 are spaced near the middle the'reofbilt are attached at the ends with one piece on each side of the mast. A collar 107 on the mast prevents the twin yard arm assembly from riding up the mast similar to the structure previously described. It has been found that better action of the sail is obtained if the position of the sail on the mast at the yard arm is not exactly in the center of the yard arm, but is placed somewhat to one side or the other depending upon which direction the boat is going. In order to provide this, a shaft 109 is pivoted adjacent to the mast, with a rope 111 being attached to two points on the yard arm spacedsomewhat from the center, with the center portion of the rope 111 wrapped around the shaft 109. A small capstan 113 is provided on the shaft 109 so that .by rotating the capstan 113 the center of the yard arm can be shifted to one side or the other of the mast.

-Jibs are provided attached to the shrouds 115 and 117. The shrouds each have a tube-like structure 119 and 121 on which the jib sails 123 and 125, respectively, can be furled. At the bottom of the tubes 119and 12-1 are the spools 124 and 126 around whichthe line 127 is wound. Line 127 passes from one spool to the other through the deadeyes 129 and 131 andthe winch assembly 133. Since the line 127 is wrapped-around the two spools in opposite directions, as it is turned one way or the other one of the jibs is released as the other is furled. Thus, in coming about, it is quite easy to furl one jib and unfurl the other. A sheet 135-passes fromvthe trailing edge of one jib to the trailing edge of the other through'the deadeye .137. Thus, as one sail is furled, the sheet becomes operative to control the other jib Twin rudders are employed as in the embodiment previously described. The rudder shafts 139 and 141are rovided with plates 143 and 145 to which are attached rods 147 and 149, respectively. These rods are attached to tiller 151 so that both sets of rudders are operated together from the center of the boat regardless of which direction the craft is traveling. 'In theembodimentillustrated, the rudders 152 are elongated with the shafts pivoted near one end of the rudder as previously described. Preferably, one rudder of each pair has a vane 1S3 mounted thereon to lift the boat if the point of the boat is driven under water. The vanes 153 are employed only on the windward rudders,

In FIGURE 8, another form of yard arm is shown. This form of yard arm is curved as at 136 and provides better sailing action. Supplementary yard arms or stays 137, 139 and 141 can also beemployed.

In FIGURE 9, an alternate form of rudder is shown. This can be in the form of a disc 148 which is slightly dished. This form of rudder would be employed on the leeward side in combination with a rudder as illustrated in FIGURE 3 which employs vane 153. The disc can rotate in the water, decreasing resistance to forward motion.

I claim:

1. A double-ended sailing vessel comprising in combination:

(a) a double-ended hull;

(b) a mast substantially centered between the two ends of the hull;

(c) a triangular sail with the peak of the sail held by the mast;

(zl) a single yard arm at the bottom of and attached to the sail, said yard arm extending across the entire width of the sail; and

(e) pivot means attaching the center of the yard arm to the mast, said pivot means comprising a first collar attached to the yard arm and fitting loosely over the mast and a second collar fastened to the mast above the first collar, said second collar preventing the first collar from riding up the mast, said pivot allowing the yard arm both to pivot around the mast and to tilt relative thereto, said tilting movement permitting the yard arm to tilt, maintaining the leading edge of the sail taut.

2. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel is provided with an outrigger.

3. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the mast tilts to leeward.

4. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the hull is provided with rudders at each end, each of said rudders being hori- Zontallypivotally mounted near one end therefor, whereby the movement of the vessel through the water causes the blade of the rudder to trail behind the vessel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 24,090 5/59 Bell 11497 266,065 10/.82 Tudor 114-98 1,136,332 4/15 Heinze 114-163 1,885,247 11/32 Fox 114-39 2,712,293 7/55 OHiggins 114-39 X 2,756,711 7/56 Simpson l14-39 2,988,034 6/61 I-Iunt 114-163 X 3,099,976 8/63 Scliwaneke et a1 l1498 FOREIGN PATENTS 52,835 3/.12 Austria.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DOUBLE-ENDED SAILING VESSEL COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A DOUBLE-ENDED HULL; (D) A MAST SUBSTANTIALLY CENTERED BETWEEN THE TWO ENDS OF THE HULL; (C) A TRIANGULAR SAIL WITH THE PEAK OF THE SAIL HELD BY THE MAST; (D) A SINGLE YARD ARM AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID ATTACHED TO THE SAIL, SAID YARD ARM EXTENDING ACROSS THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF SAID SAIL; AND (E) PIVOT MEANS ATTACHING THE CENTER OF THE YARD ARM TO THE MAST, SAID PIVOT MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST COLLAR ATTACHED TO THE YARD ARM AND FITTING LOOSELY OVER THE MAST AND A SECOND COLLAR FASTENED TO THE MAST ABOVE THE FIRST COLLAR, SAID SECOND COLLAR PREVENTING THE FIRST COLLAR FROM RIDING UP THE MAST, SAID PIVOT ALLOWING THE YARD ARM BOTH TO PIVOT AROUND THE MAST AND TO TILT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID TILTING MOVEMENT PERMITTING THE YARD ARM TO TILT, MAINTAINING THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SAIL TAUT. 